Pessimists tend to catastrophize. They’ll come in from a spring shower and describe the flood. But we can help kids go from a global drama to specifics that are more grounded in reality. One great way to do this is by simply asking good questions.

Next time you’re with a child who has made a mountain out of a molehill, try these questions from Dr. Seligman:

-         What is the worst thing that might happen?

-         What is one thing you can do to help stop the worst thing from happening?

-         What is the best thing that might happen?

-         What is one thing you can do to make the best thing happen?

-         What is the most likely thing that will happen?

Sometimes we just need to shine that bright light on a kid’s thinking to help him make sense of it. With these simple questions, you can help that mountain turn back into a molehill.